Coaching Staff Head ...... 32-34 Assistant Coach Skylar Meade...... 35 Graduate Assistant Coach James Conrad...... 36 Volunteer Assistant Coach Jason Belk...... 36

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 31 Head Coach Jim Schmitz

EDUCATION Jim Schmitz Wilmington College...... Bachelor of Arts, 1979 Ohio State University...... M.S. in Sports Administration, 1986 Head Coach | 16 Seasons at EIU COACHING AWARDS AND HONORS 2001...... OVC Coach of the Year Early in the 2006 season, Jim Schmitz won his OVC Champions (19-1) 1999...... OVC Coach of the Year 300th game at Eastern Illinois and in the process NCAA Regionals (Waco, Texas) became the program's all-time wins leader. OVC Tournament Champions Overall Schmitz has registered 593 career OVC Champions wins in 22 years as a head coach at Eastern 1998...... OVC Coach of the Year (1995-present), Cincinnati (1987-90) and OVC Champions Wilmington (1984-86). YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RESULTS (NCAA DIVISION I) Under Schmitz, EIU has won four Ohio Year School records Conference Finish Valley Conference regular-season titles, 2010. Eastern Illinois... 18-35 / 11-12...... Ohio Valley / 5th two OVC Tournament titles, posted a pair of 2009. Eastern Illinois...31-19* / 13-5^...... Ohio Valley / 1st runner-up finishes, and captured two West 2008. Eastern Illinois... 27-30 / 13-13...... Ohio Valley / 4th 2007. Eastern Illinois... 23-28 / 12-14...... Ohio Valley / 7th Division championships when the Panthers were a member of the Mid- 2006.. Eastern Illinois... 31-24 / 17-10...... Ohio Valley / 3rd Continent Conference. 2005.. Eastern Illinois... 17-39 / 14-13...... Ohio Valley / T-6th A regular-season OVC championship and the program’s first-ever 2004.. Eastern Illinois.... 26-30 / 17-9...... Ohio Valley / 2nd national ranking from Collegiate highlighted the memorable 2003.. Eastern Illinois.... 26-31 / 8-12...... Ohio Valley / 6th 2009 campaign. 2002.. Eastern Illinois.... 25-26 / 12-8...... Ohio Valley / 2nd From March 21 to April 10, 2009, EIU posted a 13-game winning 2001.. Eastern Illinois.... 35-20 / 19-1...... Ohio Valley / 1st streak. It was the longest of the program’s Division I era and the fifth 2000.. Eastern Illinois... 22-33 / 10-13...... Ohio Valley / 6th longest streak in the country in 2009. After it was snapped in game two 1999.. Eastern Illinois.... 33-23 / 17-7...... Ohio Valley / 1st of a doubleheader at UT Martin, the Panthers nine home runs and 1998.. Eastern Illinois.... 37-16 / 17-6...... Ohio Valley / 1st scored 30 runs in the rubber game of the series the following day. 1997.. Eastern Illinois... 25-28 / 13-11...... Ohio Valley / 4th 1996.. Eastern Illinois.... 25-22 / 15-3.... Mid-Continent / 1st (West) During the 13-game win streak, Schmitz recorded his 400th win as 1995.. Eastern Illinois.... 28-19 / 15-5.... Mid-Continent / 1st (West) the leader of the program on April 5. 16 Years...... 429-423* (.504)...... 193-134^ (.590) OVC The Panthers, who lost back-to-back games only twice in 2009, enjoyed 1990.. Cincinnati...... 23-29 / 5-10...... Metro one of the finest offensive campaigns in program history, establishing a 1989.. Cincinnati...... 21-30 / 3-14...... Metro new single-season hits record (644). Eastern’s 92 home runs and the 1988.. Cincinnati...... 28-21 / 7-10...... Metro .362 team average both ranked second in program history, with 1987.. Cincinnati...... 31-21 / 5-8...... Metro the .362 clip also being the highest of the OVC era. The Panthers led 4 Years 103-101 (.505) the nation in batting average the weeks of April 20 and May 11 and were YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RESULTS (NCAA DIVISION III) tops in the league in average, home runs and on-base percentage for 1986.. Wilmington (OH)..... 26-19 much of the season. 1985.. Wilmington (OH)..... 22-20 1984.. Wilmington (OH)..... 13-21 Eastern won the four-team Bulls Baseball Classic in Tampa, Fla., the 3 Years...... 61-60 (.504) weekend of March 13-15, defeating South Florida, Bethune-Cookman and Oklahoma in three consecutive days. The Panthers eventually OVERALL (23 Years)....593-584* (.504) entered the Collegiate Baseball Top 30 national poll on April 6 and *Records includes five losses by forfeiture after the 2009 season retained their ranking for another week. Ping!Baseball.com also ranked ^Records include one OVC loss by forfeiture after the 2009 season EIU among the Top 30 nationally from April 27 to May 18. Brett Nommensen was leading the nation in on-base and in batting average when he suffered a broken hamate bone in his right wrist April 10, an injury that sidelined him until the OVC Tournament. A number of players stepped up in Nommensen’s absence as EIU completed the journey to the conference title. Jordan Kreke became the third Panther to win OVC Player of the Year honors after recording a .507 average, nine home runs and 40 RBIs in the 18 conference games. He was also named a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American. Jordan Tokarz, Richie Derbak and Mike Recchia joined Kreke as First Team All-OVC selections. Three Panthers were selected in the first 13 rounds of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the most EIU selections in a single draft since 1988. Tyler Kehrer went 48th overall to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Compensation Round A, the highest Panther picked since 1988. On day two of the draft, Brett Nommensen went in the eighth round to the Tampa Bay Rays and Jordan Kreke was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round. All three players signed with their organizations and began their pro careers in Rookie Leagues. Erik Huber (Carolina League with Lynchburg), Kehrer (Pioneer League with Orem) and Kreke ( with Danville) were all part of Minor League championship teams in the summer of 2009. Four wins in four days versus four different teams, a memorable postseason that allowed EIU to capture the OVC Tournament title and qualify for the NCAA Tournament, highlighted the Panthers’ 2008 campaign. Eastern was sent to the Lincoln, Neb., Regional of the NCAA Tournament where the team scored a combined 17 runs in its two losses.

32 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Head Coach Jim Schmitz

The Panthers led the OVC in team ERA nearly the entire season. The pitching performed well in Paducah, but it was the monster weeks for Nommensen and Tokarz at the top of the order that allowed EIU to hold the lead for 28 of the 36 tournament innings. Both players hit safely in all six postseason games. Tokarz, one of 17 new players on the roster when the season began, was named the OVC Tournament MVP and collected multiple hits in each of EIU’s six postseason games. Besides team ERA, Eastern’s pitching staff also led the OVC in batting average against. The Panthers enjoyed a 157-115 advantage in extra-base hits. In 2007, Schmitz graduated a 12-player senior class that rewrote the EIU record book. Huber batted better than .400 for the second year in a row and was the first OVC player selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft when the picked him in the 12th round. Ryan Campbell established new career marks for hits and doubles. Pitcher Chris Vaculik, along with breaking the program saves record, finished his career as just the third player in program history with 20 wins and 200 strikeouts. Schmitz also won his 500th game as a collegiate head coach on March 24, 2007. Though he downplayed the milestone victory, his players and family were still very excited for him and honored to be part of the historic win. Even though he is a three-time OVC Coach of the Year recipient, his best coaching job may have been in the spring of 2006. Eastern finished third in the OVC despite the team's uncharacteristically low power numbers and a pitching staff that was far from overpowering. Instead it was what Schmitz calls the "base-hit approach" – as well as the conference's top defense and bullpen – that propelled EIU into the league's first division. The Panthers led the OVC in (.968), plays turned (61) and saves (15), while also finishing second in batting average (.304). Eastern hitters struck out the fewest number of times in the conference as well. Schmitz's EIU teams are no strangers to success. Despite being the northern-most school in the OVC, the Panthers have finished below .500 just three times since joining the league in 1997. The 1999 team won the OVC Tournament title and, for the first time in program history, qualified for an NCAA Division I Regional, placing third at the Waco, Texas, Regional. The Panthers played nationally-ranked Baylor and Minnesota close and knocked No. 21 Arizona out of the tournament. Also, for the first time ever, Eastern posted consecutive 30-win seasons in 1998 and 1999. The Panthers know how to score runs and play defense. In 2003, EIU finished 13th nationally in home runs per game (1.32) with an OVC-leading 75 overall. The 1.05 double plays per game ranked 18th in 2004. Eight of the most prolific hitting teams in program history have been coached by Schmitz. The 1998 squad, which slugged a program-record 120, still holds the NCAA all-time record for hitting five consecutive home runs. On two occasions since, Eastern has hit four in a row. The Panthers tied another national record in 2002, hitting two grand slams in the same inning. Keith Laski, Kyle Haines and Tokarz have each homered twice in the same frame during Schmitz's tenure. Arriving on campus just prior to the start of school in 1995, Schmitz inherited a team with no returning starting pitchers and captured the Mid-Continent Conference West Division title. Eastern’s record was 28-19 overall, 15-5 in the league. Although the Panthers were eliminated in the postseason tournament, he coached EIU to its best winning percentage (.596) in six seasons. Schmitz guided the Panthers to yet another West Division title in 1996 with a record of 25-22, 15-3 in the division. He coached the Panthers to their first OVC regular season title in 1998 while setting records for wins, hits, runs and home runs.

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 33 Head Coach Jim Schmitz

Eastern finished ranked nationally in home runs per game, winning percentage and batting average. In 1999, EIU won its second straight regular-season crown and first-ever tournament championship, despite starting the year 0-11. Eastern knocked off Middle Tennessee, 8-7, in the first round and Eastern Kentucky, 9-4, in the semifinals before rallying for a 4-3 win over Middle Tennessee in the title game. He earned Coach of the Year honors during both championship seasons. During the 2001 campaign, EIU set league records that might not be challenged for years to come. New benchmarks were established for consecutive OVC wins (17) and best start (17-0) en route to finishing 19-1. That regular-season title and Schmitz’s Coach of the Year award were both the third in a four-year span. Since Schmitz took over at Eastern, 11 players have been selected in the draft. Prior to Kehrer going 48th overall in 2009, Above: Schmitz and his coaching staff celebrates after the final out of the 2008 OVC Tournament title game was recorded. pitcher Bobby Castelli had been the highest pick Below: Schmitz and assistant coach Skylar Meade with former Panther Tyler Kehrer of the group, chosen in the 1998 fourth round. In after he signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 1999, pitchers Matt Gage and John Larson were drafted. Larson came back for his senior year and was drafted again in 2000. In 2004, infielders Chris Uhle and Haines went in the draft. To date, 19 of Schmitz’s players have been chosen in the MLB Draft. Schmitz believes in giving back to the community, participating in a service program every fall and spring. Each fall the team assists with local Habitat for Humanity projects that benefit the underprivileged. Schmitz and Eastern have participated with Lake Land College’s Friends for a Day program. Service projects aren’t strictly kept to the Charleston-Mattoon area. A few years ago during a spring break trip in New Orleans, half the team visited a Children’s Hospital while the other half worked at an AIDS clinic. Prior to EIU, Schmitz was an assistant coach under former Chicago Cub Don Kessinger at the University of Mississippi for four years. As recruiting coordinator, Schmitz’s 1993 recruiting class ranked No. 17 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. Schmitz was head coach from 1987-90 at Cincinnati, compiling a 103-101 record. The ’87 team set a school record with 31 wins. Twice Cincinnati reached the finals of the Metro Conference Tournament. During Schmitz’s tenure, Cincinnati recorded consecutive winning seasons for the first time since entering the Metro Conference. Nine of Schmitz’s players signed professional contracts. He was the head coach at Wilmington (Ohio) College from 1984-86, which enjoyed its first winning season in eight years while Schmitz was head coach. Wilmington also had its first 20-win season and reached the NAIA District 22 playoffs for the first time ever in 1986. Schmitz earned his undergraduate degree from Wilmington in 1979 and a master’s in sports administration from Ohio State University in 1986. He and his wife Kathy have three daughters, Casey, Abigail and Hannah.

34 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Assistant Coach Skylar Meade Skylar Meade Assistant Coach Pitching/Recruiting 4th Season at EIU

Skylar Meade joined the Eastern Il- linois baseball staff in the fall of 2007 as a graduate assistant coach, work- ing with the pitchers. Meade became a full-time member of the staff in the fall of 2009 as he was named the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.

In four seasons, Meade has seen a number of his pitchers rack up Ohio Valley Conference accolades in addition to being drafted in the Above: Meade confers with Josh Mueller and Richie Derbak during a mound annual Major League Baseball Draft. meeting in EIU's 2008 NCAA Tournament game at Nebraska. Below: Meade watches Matt Miller warm-up prior to the 2008 OVC Tourna- ment title game. In 2010, Josh Mueller was drafted in the 13th round of the MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies while teammate Mike Recchia signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees. Both individuals earned OVC honors in their respective careers with the Panthers as Mueller was named to the OVC All-Freshman Team in 2008 while Recchia was a two-time OVC First-Team Selection in 2009 and 2010.

2009 saw Tyler Kehrer become the highest drafted since Stan Roy- er in 1988, being taken as the 48th overall pick to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Compensation Round A. Kehrer led the OVC in 2009 in strikeouts and batting average against.

In addition to the individual accomplishments pitchers have achieved under Meade, the entire rotation has been one of the best in the OVC since 2007. The last three seasons the Panthers have posted the best staff ERA in the OVC on two occasions, recording a league-best 5.60 ERA in 2010 and a league-best 4.57 ERA in 2008. In 2009, EIU finished the year second in the OVC in ERA with a 4.94 ERA.

Meade assisted in coaching the Panthers to the 2009 OVC Regular- Season Title and a 36-14 record. In his second year with the staff, EIU captured the 2008 OVC Tournament Title and advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the second time in school history.

Meade joined the coaching staff at EIU after his playing career at the University of Louisville. With the Cardinals, Meade anchored a pitching staff that helped lead Louisville to the 2007 College World Series. The left-handed pitcher recorded nine wins in 2007 and limited opposing batters to a .247 average. He concluded his career with a 16-7 record, including a 5-1 mark in conference action.

The Louisville, Ky., native earned a bachelor’s degree in sports administration from Louisville in 2007 and completed a master’s degree in kinesiology and sports studies (sports management) in the summer of 2009 from EIU.

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 35 Assistant Coaches

James Conrad joined the Eastern Illinois baseball staff in 2009 as a graduate assistant coach.

Conrad is responsible for the Panthers defensive alignments and works with the . He also coaches baserunning, bunting and assists with hitting instructions.

Conrad joined EIU after a one-year stint as a volunteer assistant coach at the Military Institute during the 2008-09 academic year. During the summer of 2009, he was the of the of the , a summer collegiate wood bat league based in Virginia. Covington made an appearance in the league’s championship series under Conrad’s direction in 2009.

The Columbia, Md., native played collegiately at Lafayette from 2003-07, earning All-Patriot League honors three times. The outfielder led his team to a conference title in 2007 and an ap- pearance in the NCAA Regional in Charlottesville, Va. Conrad finished his career with a .356 batting average.

After graduating from Lafayette, Conrad interned for Baseball Info Solutions in Bethlehem, Penn. James That opportunity developed after he had corresponded with the -run statistical company for a class project as a senior. He contributed to Baseball Info Solution publications by tracking Conrad pitch charts, defensive analysis and fielding range. Graduate Assistant Coach Conrad has also served an assistant coach with his alma mater, Atholton High School, and as an 2nd Season at EIU instructor at the Baseball Factory, which is based in his hometown.

Conrad was named the Patriot League Scholar as a senior and graduated with a bachelor’s de- gree in mathematics from Lafayette in 2007. He is currently pursing a master’s degree in kinesiol- ogy and sports studies at EIU.

Jason Belk joined the Eastern Illinois University baseball team in the fall of 2010 after a previously serving as a graduate assistant coach at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa from 2008-10.

Belk will work primarily with the catchers in addition to serving as the team's travel coordinator and assisting in day-to-day operations.

Before coaching at St. Ambrose, the Davenport, Iowa, native spent three summers coaching in collegiate league baseball. From 2009-10, Belk was the pitching coach for the Mankato Moon- Dogs of the where he saw the team set a number of records. The 2009 Moon- Dogs’ pitching staff posted a 2.50 ERA, the lowest in team history, while allowing a franchise-low 228 runs and 176 earned runs.

In the summer of 2008, Belk served as the pitching coach for the Tradewater Pirates of the K.I.T. League that won the regular-season title. The Pirate rotation led the league in team ERA and team strikeouts.

Jason Belk played collegiately at the University of Iowa from 2007-08, leading the team in ERA during his two seasons with the Hawkeyes. The pitcher also played at Kirkwood Community College (Iowa) Belk in 2005 and Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Arizona) in 2006 under current University of Volunteer Assistant Coach Southern California assistant coach, Doyle Wilson. 1st Season at EIU Belk graduated from Iowa in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree and earned a master’s degree in or- ganizational leadership from St. Ambrose in 2010.

36 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Roster Returners...... 38-55 Newcomers...... 56-60

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 37 Returning Players

2010: After making the team as a walk-on in the fall, did not see action during his first year with the program.

#12 HIGH SCHOOL: Austin was a four-year letter-winner for Kevin Austin coach Mike Zunica… also lettered three times in wrestling… helped St. Rita finish as the 4A runner-up at the 2009 IHSA State Tournament… also helped the wrestling team at St. R-Freshman Rita finish third in state in 2006… also played for the Illinois Sparks summer team. 6-2 | 180 | R/R PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was the 2009 super- Chicago, Ill./St. Rita sectional victory that sent St. Rita to the state finals… his uncle Erik has been a major influence on his sports career because “he has been teaching me how to play baseball since I was little”… most admires infielder Ryan Theriot because “he works hard and loves the game”… son of Larry and Diana Austin… MAJOR: Undecided.

2010: Barton pitched in 14 games, starting nine times… was EIU’s primary midweek starting seven of the 10 #31 games… also started the regular-season finale against Troy Barton Southeast Missouri and the spring break trip game ver- sus Akron… got the final out of the nightcap of the South Pitcher Florida doubleheader, with the bases loaded and EIU clinging to a two-run lead, to earn his first collegiate save… Sophomore went 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA and .262 batting average against 6-6 | 255 | R/R in his three April starts, striking out 11 and issuing only one walk… earned wins the midweek victories against Illinois Libertyville, Ill./ College and Illinois State… pitched four scoreless innings at Indiana State in his first collegiate start… followed that up Libertyville with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the South Florida se- ries… pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball, striking out six, to earn his first win in the Illinois College game… gave up only two hits over four innings and struck out five in his home start against Southern Illinois… struck out a season- high seven in his five innings of one-run ball at Missouri Valley champion Illinois State… closed out the series finale win at Jacksonville State with two scoreless innings of relief.

HIGH SCHOOL: Barton was a two-year letter-winner for coach Jim Schurr… also lettered twice in … Daily Herald Honorable Mention All-State as a senior… two-time All-North Suburban Conference and Daily Herald All-Area selection as an upperclassman… rated the among the top prospects in the state by the Prep Baseball Report… selected to the Midwest Pro Scout Clas- sic after pitching in the 2008 Chicago Fall Scout League… recorded 12- and 14-strikeouts appearances… team captain as a senior… helped Libertyville win its regional in 2009… honor roll student… also played for the McHenry County Hurricanes summer team, which were ranked second in the state.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was tossing six innings of one-run ball, striking out 11, in a win against rival Stevenson High School… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he has always been there for me”… most admires future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux be- cause “he throws 88 and still wins Cy Young Awards”… son of John and Pam Barton… MAJOR: Secondary Education.

Barton Career Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2010 5.75 2-5 14 9 0 0/1 1 40.2 47 27 26 19 34 8 0 2 187 .299 5 4 0 2 4 TOTAL 5.75 2-5 14 9 0 0/1 1 40.2 47 27 26 19 34 8 0 2 187 .299 5 4 0 2 4

38 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: Borenstein started all 53 games at third base, one of only two Panthers to start every game in 2010… led the team in batting #18 average, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, runs scored and stolen Zach Borenstein bases… became only the fifth player of the program’s Division I era to win the team Triple Crown…batted third in the lineup in 32 of the IF/OF 53 games and did not bat any lower than fourth… shared the team lead with 19 two-out RBIs… ended the season riding a 12-game hit- Junior ting streak, the longest of his EIU career… reached base safely in 6-0 | 205 | L/R 49 of the 53 games, highlighted by a streak of 29 consecutive games reaching base safely… led the team in multi-hit (21) and multi-RBI Buffalo Grove, Ill./ games (13)… was 6-for-12 with a home run, four RBIs, four scored and three walks at the OVC Tournament… was 10-for-25 with five Buffalo Grove extra-base hits and a team-high 10 runs scored during the 10-game homestand… batted .371 with five home runs in April… led the way in May with a .449 batting average and .557 on-base percentage… batted .452 in a team-high 10 RBIs in midweek action… scored 20 times in the 16 home games… hit eight of his 11 home runs away from Coaches Stadium… hit safely in all three games of the South Florida, Morehead State, Jacksonville State and Southeast Missouri series… connected for a pair of three-run homers in consecutive innings at Southern Illinois, posting his first collegiate multi-homer game and fin- ishing the day with a career-high six RBIs… enjoyed a big day in the doubleheader sweep at Murray State, finishing the twinbill 6-for-10 with five RBIs and homering in both games… doubled and homered in a three-hit effort in the series opener at Belmont, connecting for the first long ball of the season by a Panther… knocked in three runs and stole three bases in the middle game of the Belmont series… hit a three-run homer in the spring break trip game against Ohio State… singled, walked and scored twice in EIU’s 10-run fifth inning against Morehead State… hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of the Illinois game in Mattoon, the first of his three straight games with a long ball… had four hits in wins against Illinois College and Murray State… ranked eighth in runs scored per game in conference play.

2009: Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American… OVC All-Freshman Team… Borenstein played in 40 games and started 36 times, primarily in right field… also started twice at third base and once as the designated hitter… led the OVC in on-base percentage (.506) thanks in part to a team-high 29 walks… one of four regulars that walked more than he struck out… had the best batting average among qualifying OVC freshmen… moved into the leadoff spot in the lineup after the injury to Brett Nommensen and batted .392 with 27 runs scored and a .515 on-base percentage in the 20 games… hit four of his five home runs in conference play… left-handed hit- ter held his own against southpaws, batting .375 (12-for-32)… reached base safely 50 percent of the time to begin an inning… batted .452 (19-for-42) with runners in scoring position… registered 10 of his 28 RBIs with two outs in an inning… was 11-for-23 (.478) in neutral-site action… batted .444 in the month of March to solidify his spot in the starting lineup… batted .400 in the month of April and led the team in hits (28), runs scored (24) and walks (16)… went 9-for-22 with six runs scored on the spring break trip… batted .442 in midweek action… had .535 on-base percentage with 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored during the 13-game win streak… reached base safely in five of his nine plate appearances at the OVC Tournament… recorded a season-high five RBIs and four runs scored in the rubber game win at UT Martin… hit his first homer at EIU and finished with four RBIs in the blowout win of Tennes- see Tech… doubled twice and accounted for four runs in the home-opening win against Illinois State… led the way with a season-high four hits in the neutral-site wood bat game against Missouri… hit the third of EIU’s three homers in the eighth inning of the game one win at Southeast Missouri… collected three hits, including an RBI double, in the OVC Tournament loss to Jacksonville State… Top 100 National Rankings: 20th in on-base percentage and 87th in batting average… Top 10 OVC Rankings: first in on-base percentage, fifth in walks and ninth in batting average.

HIGH SCHOOL: Borenstein was a two-year letter-winner for coach John Wendell… Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times All-State honoree as a senior… two-time all-area, all-conference and Midwest players of the year… established new career school records with a .498 batting average and .970 slugging percentage… also ranks among the top three in school history in home runs, doubles, hits, runs, RBIs and stolen bases… led the area in batting average (.524), doubles and runs scored his senior year… was tops in the area in hits as a junior… senior year team captain… helped led BGHS to its first-ever appearance in the Elite Eight round of the IHSA State Tournament in 2007… reached the Sweet Sixteen round a year later.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was beating Lake Forest High School to reach the state finals of the IHSA playoffs his junior year… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because "he is the absolute man"… most admires New York Yankees because "his has four World Series rings and the hottest girlfriends ever"… son of David and Nancy Borenstein… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies.

Borenstein Career Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 .394 40-36 137 43 54 6 0 5 28 75 .547 29 3 20 3 .506 1 2 2-6 56 6 1 .984 2010 .353 53-53 207 50 73 13 0 11 47 119 .575 26 7 36 3 .438 2 1 12-15 31 80 17 .867 TOTAL .369 93-89 344 93 127 19 0 16 75 194 .564 55 10 56 6 .466 3 3 14-21 87 86 18 .906

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 39 Returning Players

2010: Ciaglia did not see action during his first season with #30 the program. David Ciaglia JUNIOR COLLEGE: Ciaglia played his first two collegiate seasons at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill… batted over Outfield .300 in each of seasons, highlighted by his freshman year in which he batted .373 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs en R-Junior route to earning All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference honors 6-4 | 220 | R/R two-time team captain. Addison Ill./Lake Land HIGH SCHOOL: he was a two-year letter-winner for coaches Paul Parpet and Al Lierman… also lettered four times in College football and twice in basketball… Daily Herald All-Area and All-West Suburban Gold Conference honoree… selected to the Illinois Coaches Association All-Star Game… hit 10 home runs as a senior, a new school record… team captain as a senior… also played for the Addison Braves summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was pitching a three-hitter and hitting a home run in an IHSA playoff win against Willow- brook High School… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he taught me to play the game with my heart; he’s been there every step of the way and pushed me to be the best I could be”… most admires his high school hitting coach Steve Hayward because “he pushed me to attain the swing and knowledge I have today”… son of Dave and Norma Ciaglia… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies with a Teacher’s Certification.

2010: Dineen played in 47 games and started 43 times, all at second base… started every OVC game… took over as #3 the starting during the UAB series the first Ryan Dineen weekend of March and started all but three games the rest of the season… batted in five different spots in the lineup, Infield but primarily sixth (17) and eighth (15)… ranked second on the team with seven sacrifice bunts, six coming in OVC play, Sophomore helping EIU lead the league… recorded nine of his 18 RBIs 6-1 | 185 | L/R with two outs in an inning… went 9-for-24 on the seven-game homestand, putting together an eight-game hit streak in the Valparaiso, Ind./ process… hit safely in each of the first nine home games of the season… batted .303 and did not commit an in mid- Andrean week action… batted .306 in home games… committed only one error in true road games… went 4-for-12 at the plate, hitting safely in all three games, and played flawless defense at the OVC Tournament… executed a suicide squeeze bunt to plate the go-ahead run in the 10th inning of the OVC Tournament win against Southeast Missouri… also delivered the first of consecutive two-out, run-scoring hits in the seventh inning of the SEMO game that allowed EIU to tie the score… came through with a three-run single with the bases loaded on a full- count pitch in the first inning of the Illinois game in Mattoon… reached base safely in each of his first six games as a starter… hit safely in all three games of the South Florida,Austin Peay and Morehead State series… went 7-for-13 in the first three games after the team returned from the spring break trip, highlighted by a three-hit effort at Southern Illinois… doubled twice in the finale of the Austin Peay series, capping a 5-for-10 effort at the plate that weekend.

HIGH SCHOOL: Dineen played for coach Dave Pishkup, helping lead Andrean to the 2009 IH- SAA Class 3A state title… also played basketball… two-time regional Gold Glove winner and Northwest Indiana Times All-Area selection as an upperclassman… also named All-Area by the Post Tribune of Northwest Indiana as a senior… Andrean’s postseason player of the year in 2008, finishing that season with a .389 batting average… honor roll student… also played for the Hammond Chiefs summer league team, participating in the Babe Ruth World Series in 2008 and 2009.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was going 3-for-3 with a double and a triple in the 2009 IHSAA state championship game… his parents have been a major influence on his sports ca- reer because “they have always supported me in baseball my whole life; what I have achieved wouldn’t of happened without their support”… most admires coach Pishkur because “of his love of and dedication to the game”… his uncle Matt Marzec played baseball at EIU from 1996-00, hitting a program record 39 home runs… son of Pete and Anne Dineen… MAJOR: Undecided. Dineen Career Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .250 47-43 156 22 39 6 0 0 18 45 .288 10 0 27 6 .295 0 7 5-5 68 98 6 .965 TOTAL .250 47-43 156 22 39 6 0 0 18 45 .288 10 0 27 6 .295 0 7 5-5 68 98 6 .965

40 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: Ferguson played in 40 games and started 25 times, #1 primarily in right field… opened and the closed the sea- son as a starter… regularly saw action late in games as a Shawn Ferguson defensive replacement… batted in a team-high six different Outfield spots in the order, all but three-four-five… reached base Senior safely 48 percent of the time when leading off an inning… recorded three of his five RBIs with two outs in an inning… 6-0 | 205 | R/R was 7-for-19 with three walks and no strikeouts in May… South Bend, Ind./ did not strikeout in 17 plate appearances at Coaches Sta- dium… was 2-for-7 with a walk and a run scored at the OVC Lincoln Trail Tournament… delivered the game-tying single with two outs in the ninth inning of the series finale at Belmont… doubled twice in the middle game of the Southeastern Louisiana series… had three hits in the series finale at South Florida, his first of three straight multi-hit efforts on the spring break trip… also had three in the win at Jacksonville State… executed a squeeze bunt in the win at Illinois State.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Ferguson played his first two collegiate seasons at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill… set a school record with a .449 batting average in 2009, earning All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference honors... helped lead Lincoln Trail to a runner-up finish at the Ohio Valley Regional… honor roll student.

HIGH SCHOOL: he was a three-year letter-winner for coach John Huemmer… also lettered three times in football and once in wrestling… two-time All-State selection by the Indiana Coaches Association as an upperclassman… also a two- time all-region, metro all-star, Indiana Classic, team captain and team MVP honoree… established a new single-season hits record as well as career marks for batting average and doubles… three-time All-Northern Indiana Athletic Conference selection… Golden Spikes award winner… all-conference, metro all-state and team captain in football… scholar-athlete… also played for Eau Claire of the Northwoods League in the summer of 2009.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was hitting for the cycle as a sophomore at Lincoln Trail… his parents have been a major influence on his sports career because “they taught me a competitive work ethic and helped me become the person that I am to- day”… most admires Lincoln Trail coach Mitch Hannahs because “he always pushed me to bring the best out of me”… son of Evan and Cheryl Ferguson… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies.

Dineen Career Statistics Ferguson Career Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .250 47-43 156 22 39 6 0 0 18 45 .288 10 0 27 6 .295 0 7 5-5 68 98 6 .965 2010 .247 40-25 97 13 24 4 0 0 5 28 .289 6 4 16 2 .315 1 3 3-7 54 1 1 .982 TOTAL .250 47-43 156 22 39 6 0 0 18 45 .288 10 0 27 6 .295 0 7 5-5 68 98 6 .965 TOTAL .247 40-25 97 13 24 4 0 0 5 28 .289 6 4 16 2 .315 1 3 3-7 54 1 1 .982

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 41 Returning Players

2010: OVC co-Pitcher of the Week (April 12)… Hoekstra pitched in 15 games and made 11 starts, returning from #14 an elbow injury that had sidelined him since March 2008… Mike Hoekstra was the only EIU pitcher to make a start in every weekend series of OVC play, sharing the league lead in confer- Pitcher ence play with eight… issued only five walks in 67 innings pitched, leading the nation in fewest walks per nine innings R-Junior and establishing a new program record in EIU’s Division I 6-3 | 180 | R/R era (1982-present)… did not issue more than walk in any of his 15 appearances… was not charged with a wild pitch all Lansing, Ill./Thornton season… his 7.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio was easily the best the on the team… issued only two walks in 43 1/3 innings Fractional South pitched in OVC play… ended the season riding a streak of 27 1/3 consecutive innings pitched without a walk… also went 26 1/3 consecutive innings without a walk during the middle of the season… led the team with a 4.16 ERA… started game two of every OVC series, going the distance against Morehead State and UT Martin… Eastern was 6-5 in games he started… won both of his starts during the seven-game homestand, surrendering only one earned run over 13 innings… pitched a seven-inning, complete-game shutout (three- hitter) in game two of the Morehead State series, one of only four pitchers in the OVC to have a complete-game shutout in 2010… went on to finish the month of April with a 2-1 record and a 2.21 ERA in 20 1/3 innings pitched… was 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA and .236 batting average in his 28 2/3 innings pitched at Coaches Stadium, issuing only one walk… keyed EIU’s first win of the season with 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the middle game of the UAB series… made nonconference starts against South Florida and Ohio State… posted victories as a starter against Austin Peay, Morehead and Southeast Missouri… gave up only one earned run in his starts against USF, Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech… worked two innings of scoreless relief in the home opener against Chicago State… pitched an inning and two-thirds of one-hit relief in his season debut at Southeastern Louisiana… struck out five against APSU… fanned four in each of his final three starts of the season… National Rankings: First in fewest walks per nine innings (0.67)… OVC Top 10 Rankings: fifth in ERA and com- plete games.

2009: Did not see action due to an elbow injury… granted a medical redshirt.

2008: Hoekstra started five games, pitching at least six innings in each start, before an elbow injury ended his season… gave up no more than four runs in any of his five starts… worked seven innings of three-run ball to defeat Northern Iowa on the spring break trip for his first colle- giate win… struck out six over six innings against Morehead State in his home debut, another victory… also pitched well enough to win against Southeastern Louisiana, Northwestern State and Vermont, earning no decisions in all three starts… gave up just four hits while striking out five against SELU in his collegiate debut… issued no more than two walks in any of his starts.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a two-year letter-winner for coach Ken Reyn- olds… the Northwest Indiana Times Player of the Year as a senior… two-time All-SICA Central Silver honoree… also a back-to-back All-Area selection by the Northwest Times and Star Newspapers… played for the Lansing Redbirds in the summer, earning all-southeast suburban tournament team honors.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was posting his first collegiate vic- tory against Northern Iowa on the 2008 spring break trip… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because "he has always told me to never give up on my dreams, even when life throws you a curveball"... most admires because "he had surgery also and was able to comeback and have a very successful career"… son of Dale and Debra Hoekstra… MAJOR: Kinesiology & Sports Studies.

Hoekstra Career Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2008 3.77 2-0 5 5 0 0/0 0 31.0 30 17 13 7 21 6 0 1 134 .244 1 1 0 1 2 2010 4.16 4-4 15 11 2 1/0 0 67.0 87 49 31 5 39 19 1 7 299 .312 0 5 0 4 6 TOTAL 4.04 6-4 20 16 2 1/0 0 98.0 117 66 44 12 60 25 1 8 433 .291 1 6 0 5 8 42 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com

Returning Players

2010: Kalousek played in 25 games and started four times #17 at designated hitter… also pitched an inning and a third of relief at Saint Louis… saw action as a defensive replace- George Kalousek ment at first and third base… one of two EIU position play- Pitcher ers that did not commit an error… four of his five hits came R-Sophomore with a runner on base… reached base safely to begin an inning in four of his nine opportunities… recorded his first 6-4 | 205 | R/R collegiate hit and scored at Indiana State… tallied pinch- Schaumburg, Ill./ hit singles versus Army and Missouri… walked and scored in the middle game of the Belmont series… executed a Schaumburg squeeze bunt and singled and scored in the extra-inning loss to Southern Illinois… doubled and reached base safely three times in the win at Illinois State.

2009: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... did not see action during his first year with the program and redshirted.

HIGH SCHOOL: Kalousek played for coach Paul Groot… also played basketball… was a two-time All-Mid Suburban League and all-area honoree as an upperclassman… helped Schaumburg win back-to-back conference and regional titles… National Honor Society… also played for the Elk Grove American Legion team in the summer.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was a pitching a one-hitter against a rival high school… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “of how hard he pushed me and the opportunities he gave me to play”… most admires New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter because “he works hard and is one of the best I have

Kalousek Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .200 22-4 25 3 5 1 0 0 1 6 .240 3 1 8 0 .310 0 1 0-0 17 1 0 1.000 TOTAL .200 22-4 25 3 5 1 0 0 1 6 .240 3 1 8 0 .310 0 1 0-0 17 1 0 1.000

Kalousek Career Pitching Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2010 27.00 0-0 1 0 0 0/0 0 1.1 4 4 4 1 1 0 0 0 10 .500 1 1 0 0 0 TOTAL 27.00 0-0 1 0 0 0/0 0 1.1 4 4 4 1 1 0 0 0 10 .500 1 1 0 0 0

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 43

Returning Players

2010: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Kucharski #38 played in 23 games and started 19 times in center field after making the team as a walk-on in the fall… started the Matt Kucharski final 19 games of the season in center and impressed with Outfield defensive technique and range… Eastern went 9-10 in the Senior games he started… hit safely in each of his first six games as a starter after getting his opportunity in mid-April… 5-8 | 165 | R/R made a fantastic catch with his back to home plate Oak Forest, Ill./ in the OVC Tournament game against Southeast Missouri, but an umpire ruled it a no catch after the ump’s view of Prairie State the played obstructed… also made a couple nice diving catches against Missouri… reached base safely 45 per- cent (9-of-20) of the time when leading off an inning… with a runner on third and less than two outs, knocked in that run in four of five opportunities… batted .391 (9-for-23) with five RBIs inApril… went 4-for-11 and reached base safely in all three games at the OVC Tournament… went 3-for-6 with a season-high three RBIs in the OVC Tourney win versus South- east Missouri, delivering a two-runs single in the 10th inning… had a pinch hit single in his first EIU at-bat in the home win against Illinois College… went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the Murray State doubleheader… had two RBIs in extra-inning loss to Southern Illinois… capped the scoring in EIU’s five-run sixth inning at Jacksonville State with a two-out double.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Kucharski played at Prairie State College (Chicago Heights, Ill.) in 2008, earning All- Skyway Conference honors… also played at Moraine Valley College (Palos Hills, Ill.) in 2007, earning Second Team All-Region honors.

HIGH SCHOOL: he was a two-year letter-winner for coach Ron Czarnecki… also lettered three times in wrestling and twice in football… two-time All-South Suburban Conference honoree as an upperclassman, helping lead his team to consecutive conference titles… was also the 140 lbs. conference champion in wres- tling… Star Newspapers All-Area selection in football… president of USA Skills… also played for the Crestwood Panthers summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was beating Rich- ards and TF South High Schools in consecutive weeks in the IHSA football playoffs after losing to be teams in the regular season… his parents have been a major influence on his sports career because “my mom was my coach in tee-ball and my dad was my coach throughout Little League”… most admires his former coach Bucky Randolph, an EIU grad, because “he was a great coach and a fun coach to play for”… son of Robert and Sandra Kucharski... MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies.

Kucharski Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .257 23-19 70 8 18 3 0 0 9 21 .300 9 3 17 2 .361 1 1 0-1 51 0 1 .981 TOTAL .257 23-19 70 8 18 3 0 0 9 21 .300 9 3 17 2 .361 1 1 0-1 51 0 1 .981

44 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Martin pitched #33 in 19 games, starting the Army and Missouri contests… limited opposing hitters to a .216 batting average against in Mike Martin midweek action… pitched a career-high six innings in his Pitcher start against Army… did not give up a hit in 5 2/3 innings R-Junior of relief against Illinois over two appearances… struck out four over three innings in the Illinois game in Mattoon… 6-3 | 210 | R/R worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the opener of Bloomingdale, Ill./ the Belmont series… his best outing in OVC play was an inning and two-third of one-hit relief in the series finale Glenbard East at Eastern Kentucky… also worked a scoreless inning of relief against Saint Louis and Morehead State.

2009: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Martin pitched in 18 games, starting five contests… was the winning pitcher in each of his final three midweek starts… earned victories against Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Chicago State and Black- burn College… limited batters to a .238 average against in his 12 1/3 innings pitched in road games… worked 18 of his 39 innings in March, making three starts… kept EIU in the game in the loss to Missouri, giving up only one run and issuing no walks in the three innings of relief… pitched a season-high 4 1/3 innings at Indiana State in his first EIU start… pitched well in the two games against Bradley, giving up only two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings… surrendered only one hit in his four- inning start against the Braves in Florida… pitched an inning a third of scoreless relief in relief appearances at Southeastern Louisiana and Butler… worked an in- ning of relief in the OVC Tournament loss to Jackson- ville State… singled in his lone at-bat of the season in the midweek home game against Bradley.

2008: Martin redshirted during his first season with the program.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a two-year letter-winner for coach Nick Scippionie… also lettered once in basket- ball and ... Prep Baseball Report Top 100 prospect… senior year team captain... Academic All-DuPage Valley Con- ference… four-year honor roll student… played for the Lombard Lightning summer team and the Melrose Indians of the Chicago Suburban Baseball League in 2008.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was striking out 16 in a no-hit performance… his brother has been a major influence on his sports career because "he was always willing to practice with me"… most admires Derek Lee because "he's a good player and a great overall person" son of Dave and Denise Martin… MAJOR: Kinesiology & Sports Studies.

Martin Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 1.000 1-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1.000 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0-0 0 5 1 .833 2010 .000 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0-0 3 4 0 1.000 TOTAL -1.000 1-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1.000 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0-0 3 9 1 .923

Martin Career Pitching Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2009 8.08 4-0 18 5 0 0/0 0 39.0 47 35 35 28 24 8 1 7 191 .309 1 5 1 3 3 2010 9.39 0-4 19 2 0 0/0 0 30.2 42 35 32 21 20 11 3 4 160 .326 2 8 0 1 1 TOTAL 8.66 4-4 37 7 0 0/0 0 69.2 89 70 67 49 44 19 4 11 351 .317 3 13 1 4 4

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 45 Returning Players

2010: McNeil pitched in a team-high 24 games, making six #23 starts… led the OVC and ranked fifth nationally with nine pickoffs… as a reliever, allowed only one of the 15 base Brent McNeil runners he inherited to score… was 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA Pitcher and .259 batting average against in his 18 relief appear- Senior ances… made a start in each of the first five weekend series of the season as well as the home opener against 6-2 | 185 | R/R Chicago State… limited opposing hitters to a .253 bat- Lafayette, Ind./Lincoln ting average against with runners on base… featured a two-to-one ground ball-to-fly ball ratio… induced a team- Trail high eight double play balls… surrendered only five hits in 10 innings pitched over five appearances during the seven-game homestand, compiling a .156 batting average against… led the pitching in April with a 1.86 ERA and .175 batting average against… gave up only one run and issued just one walk over five appearances (14 innings) in midweek action… pitched in a team-high nine home games, limited opposing hitters to a .214 batting average against at Coaches Stadium… did not give up an earned run in any of his five relief appearances in neutral-site action… appeared in the OVC Tournament games against Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State… did not give up an earned run over a stretch of six consecutive relief appearances from mid-April to early May… struck out five in starts against UAB and Chicago State… his outing at UAB was his best as a starter, surrendering only one earned run on three hits over five innings… limited Chicago State to one run on three hits over four innings… retired eight of the 10 batters he faced over 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in the shutout win against Illinois College… earned the victory in the rubber game of the Morehead State series with 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief… pitched 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief in the Illinois game in Mattoon… pitched three scoreless innings of relief in the extra-inning loss to Southern Illinois… chipped in on the four-hitter at Missouri Valley champion Illinois State with two innings of one-hit relief… did not give an earned run over 2 1/3 innings of relief at the OVC Tourna- ment… National Rankings: fifth in pickoffs.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: McNeil played his first two collegiate seasons at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill… earned All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference after compiling a 7-2 record and a 1.75 ERA… struck out 52 while issuing only 15 walks in 48 innings.

HIGH SCHOOL: he was a three-year letter-winner for coach Kevin Max- well… two-time All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference honoree as an up- perclassman… team MVP and pitcher of the year as a senior after going 7-2… played in the Indiana North/South All-Star Game as a senior… set a new school record with a 16-game hitting streak… finished his career among the school’s all-time Top Five in doubles… WLFI-TV Athlete of the Week… also played for the Indiana Bulls (2004-07) and the Grand Lake Mariners (2009) in the summer.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was pitching a two-hit shutout against Olney Central College in the 2009 NJCAA Re- gionals in a 1-0 walk-off victory… “anyone who tells me I can’t” has been a major influence on his sports career because “it motivates me the most to try even harder”… most admires Lincoln Trail head coach Mitch Hannas because “he taught me a lot in two years, not only on the field but things off the field in life that still stick with me”… son of Brad McNeil… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies.

McNeil Career Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2010 5.64 2-4 24 6 0 0/1 0 52.2 60 44 33 32 31 9 1 3 240 .309 5 4 0 2 8 TOTAL 5.64 2-4 24 6 0 0/1 0 52.2 60 44 33 32 31 9 1 3 240 .309 5 4 0 2 8

46 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: Miller pitched in 23 games, all in relief… earned #22 saves by closing out wins against South Florida and Chicago State… did not issue a walk over 5 2/3 innings Matt Miller pitched on the spring break trip… pitched four-plus innings Pitcher of relief against Belmont, Eastern Kentucky and Murray Senior State at the OVC Tournament… struck out four and did not issue a walk in that outing against Belmont… earned his 6-5 | 210 | R/R save at South Florida by striking out four over an inning Charleston, Ill./ and two-thirds of scoreless relief… gave EIU a chance to win the OVC opener at Eastern Kentucky with 4 2/3 in- Charleston nings of one-run relief, giving up only one hit in the 12-in- ning affair… worked an inning of scoreless relief in game one of the doubleheader sweep of Austin Peay… pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against Missouri… closed out EIU’s four-hit shutout at Missouri Valley champion Illinois State with two innings of one-hit ball, striking out four.

2009: Miller pitched in 13 games, starting the home contest against Bradley… compiled a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings at home… pitched an inning and two-thirds of one-hit relief in the victory against Indiana… worked two innings of scoreless relief against Illinois State, Chicago State and Blackburn College… pitched a season-high 4 1/3 innings in his start against Bradley and did not give up an earned run after the first inning… worked 3 1/3 innings of one relief at Southeastern Louisiana in his first outing of the sea- son… pitched an inning of relief in the OVC Tourna- ment loss to Jacksonville State.

2008: Miller pitched in five games and started the Monmouth College midweek match-up… retired all five batters he faced in the home loss to Indiana State… pitched a season-high three innings against Monmouth and in the series finale at Samford… gave up just one run while striking out four at Samford… also appeared in the game at Bradley and the opener of the South- east Missouri series.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a two-year letter-winner for coach Derrick Landrus, a former EIU basketball player… also lettered three times in basketball… earned All-Apollo Conference honors in both baseball and basketball as a senior… in 2007, helped lead CHS to 20 wins and the Apollo Conference title… also played for the Post 88 team based in Mattoon.

PERSONAL: His parents have been a major influence on his sports career because "they have always supported me"… most admires Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash because "of his work ethic and will to win"… his father Mike is the head men’s basketball coach at Eastern… both of his parents played basketball at East Texas State… his uncle Greg played in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system after playing his college ball at Texas-Arlington… son of Mike and Kelly Miller… MAJOR: Undecided.

Miller Career Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2008 4.00 0-0 5 1 0 0/0 0 9.0 8 6 4 4 7 3 0 0 42 .216 4 0 0 0 1 2009 8.51 0-0 13 1 0 0/0 0 24.1 40 25 23 19 11 7 2 6 131 .374 4 4 0 1 0 2010 6.25 0-6 23 0 0 0/1 2 40.1 59 34 28 19 33 15 1 3 198 .353 8 2 0 4 6 TOTAL 6.72 0-6 41 2 0 0/1 2 73.2 107 65 55 42 51 25 3 9 371 .344 16 6 0 5 7

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 47 Returning Players

2010: Priessman played in 24 games and started six #25 times, including five times in center field… started games against Belmont, UAB, Eastern Kentucky and Illinois Col- Nick Priessman lege… also saw action regularly as a pinch hitter, runner or Outfield defensive replacement… walked (8) more than he struck Sophomore out (7) in 36 plate appearances… was EIU’s first since 2004… reached base safely in three of his eight 5-11 | 185 | S/R plate appearances when leading off an inning… singled Cincinnati, Ohio/ and walked as a starter in the opener of the Belmont se- ries… doubled, walked and scored in the victory at UAB… Colerain walked twice and scored in the finale of the UAB series… started the finale of the of the Eastern Kentucky series, drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the ninth inning to make it a one-run game… walked, stole a base and scored in the Illinois College win.

HIGH SCHOOL: Priessman was a three-year letter-winner for coach Scott Barber… also lettered three times in football… named First Team All-Great Miami Conference and First Team All-City as a junior… team captain as a senior… won the “That’s My Boy” award in 2008 and the Northwest Press Sportsman of the Year for accomplishments in football and base- ball… LaRosa’s Pizza Athlete of the Year in football… also earned all-city, all-conference, all-region and all-state honors in football… helped lead his football team to the Final Four of the 2007 OHSAA Playoffs… 2009 Allstate Insurance Student- Athlete of the Year… also played for Midland of Cincinnati summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was going 5-for-5 and hitting a grand slam in one game at a tournament in Michigan… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he is my role model and has shown me all I need to know if life and sports; I wouldn’t be here without him”… most admires Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria because “we have a lot in common regarding growing up in baseball”… his uncle Kevin played baseball at Ohio University and later for the Montreal Expos and his dad was drafted out of his high school by the Detroit Tigers… son of Kraig and Vickie Priessman… MAJOR: Family and Consumer Sciences.

Priessman Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .074 24-6 27 3 2 1 0 0 1 3 .111 8 1 7 0 .306 0 0 3-3 19 0 1 .950 TOTAL .074 24-6 27 3 2 1 0 0 1 3 .111 8 1 7 0 .306 0 0 3-3 19 0 1 .950

48 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: OVC All-Freshman Team… Rowe played in 42 #4 games and started 36 times… started games in center field (16), right field (11), at second base (7) and desig- Daniel Rowe nated hitter (2)… batted in a team-high six different spots IF/OF in the lineup, all but two-three-four… hit safely in eight Sophomore of the final nine games of the season in which he played to finish with the second highest batting average on the 6-2 | 185 | L/R team… his 20 walks and .436 on-base percentage were Crystal Lake, Ill./ also third on the team… batted .367 (18-for-49) in confer- ence play… reached base safely 50 percent of the time Prairie Ridge when leading off an inning… batted .353 with runners in scoring position… recorded nine of his 17 RBIs with two outs in an inning… posted a nine-game hit streak in late March… threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate from center field to end the nightcap of the Austin Peay doubleheader… started the season hot, going 10-for-25 and reach- ing safely in 15 of his 30 plate appearances in February… also finished the season strong, going 1-for-181 and reaching safely in 16 of his 23 plate appearances in May… led the way with a .373 batting average and .489 on-base percentage in true road games… hit safely in all three games of the Southeastern Louisiana, Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin series… began his collegiate career with a four-hit game in the season opener at Southeastern Louisiana… also had four hits in the series opener at Jacksonville State… hit a solo homer in the middle game of the Belmont series… went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, two walks and four runs scored in the middle game of the UAB series, EIU’s first win of the season… delivered a two-run triple in the finale of the Eastern Kentucky series… was 2-for-4 with three RBIs in the middle game of the Morehead State series… went 5-for-6 with two walks and three runs scored in the Jacksonville State doubleheader.

HIGH SCHOOL: Rowe was a two-year letter- winner for coach Dave Haskins… also played freshman-sophomore basketball… batted .370 with 20 stolen bases as a senior… helped Prairie Ridge win the 2008 IHSA Class 4A state title… Prairie Ridge also won back-to-back titles… four-year honor roll student… tri-lingual scholar… also played for the McHenry County Hurricanes summer team, which were ranked second in the state.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlights were winning a state title and hitting the first of his team’s three home runs in a 2009 regional game… his father and grandfather have been a major influence on his sports career because “they taught me the game of baseball and are the two people I admire the most… most admires Prairie Ridge freshman coach Glen Pecoraro, the former varsity head coach, because “he was a coach that any athlete would want to play for”… son of Ed Rowe and Kim Glasder… MAJOR: Sociology.

Rowe Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2010 .333 42-36 126 24 42 5 2 1 17 54 .429 20 3 27 2 .436 0 3 4-5 65 20 7 .924 TOTAL .333 42-36 126 24 42 5 2 1 17 54 .429 20 3 27 2 .436 0 3 4-5 65 20 7 .924

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 49 Returning Players

2010: Redshirted. #25 2009: Samuels played in 38 games and started 27 times Jake Samuels at first base… started 14 of the 18 OVC games… batted IF/DH cleanup a team-high 21 times… one of four regulars that R-Senior walked more than he struck out… hit three of his five hom- ers and registered 17 of his 28 RBIs in conference play… 6-2 | 170 | L/L batted .386 with runners in scoring position, including a Grand Rapids, Mich./ 3-for-6 showing with the bases loaded… was 6-for-8 as a pinch hitter… recorded 18 of his 28 RBIs with two outs… Lincoln Trail batted .413 in true road games… went 10-for-19 with seven RBIs and no strikeouts in May… was 2-for-4 with a pinch hit single and a run scored at the OVC Tournament… hit safely in seven straight games in mid-April and the final seven games of the year that he played… also started the year red hot, going 7-for-10 with three extra-base hits, three walks and five runs scored in the first 10 games… registered a pinch hit single in each of his first two at-bats at EIU… enjoyed a big game in his first EIU start, going 3-for-4 with a homer, two walks and three runs scored in the blowout win against Milwaukee… hit a three-run homer and scored four times in the OVC opener at Morehead State… also hit a three- run shot and finished with four RBIs in the Indiana State win… hit safely in all three games of the UT Martin series, homer- ing and scoring three times in the rubber game victory… enjoyed a big game in the nightcap of the doubleheader sweep at Southeast Missouri, coming through with a pair of run-scoring singles en route to a 3-for-4 showing… drove in four runs in the series-opening win against Eastern Kentucky, connecting for a two-run homer in his final at-bat.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Samuels was an honorable mention NJCAA All-American and First Team All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference performer at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill…. helped lead Lincoln Trail to 2007 conference and regional titles.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a four-year letter-winner for coach Tim Huizen… earned all-state, all-region, all-district and all-conference honors… also played for the Nashville Navigators, Diamonds Baseball Club and SKRA Outlaws summer teams.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was winning the re- gional title as a freshman at Lincoln Trail… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he always helped me get to the next level”… most admires New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter because “he’s a leader and a good role model for kids”… son of Joe Samuels and Holly Lawrence… MAJOR: Sociology.

Samuels Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 .345 38-27 110 29 38 6 0 5 28 59 .536 11 4 10 5 .421 1 1 1-2 187 11 3 .985 TOTAL .345 38-27 110 29 38 6 0 5 28 59 .536 11 4 10 5 .421 1 1 1-2 187 11 3 .985

50 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: Schweigert played in 15 games and started three #26 times at second base… started the Akron, Illinois State and Indiana State (home) games… helped EIU turn three Brad Schweigert double plays… was 3-for-9 as a pinch hitter… came Infield through with a pinch-hit single in his first at-bat of the sea- Junior son… also had a pinch-hit double against Army and a sin- gle in the OVC Tournament game against Murray State… 5-10 | 170 | R/R singled and scored in the win at Illinois State… walked as Bourbonnais, Ill./ a pinch hitter in the finale of the Austin Peay series.

Bradley-Bourbonnais 2009: Schweigert played in 10 games and started the Illinois College contest at second base… recorded a hit in three straight games in April… helped EIU turn four double plays… collected his first collegiate hit with a single in the home win against Chicago State… singled and scored in the rubber game win at UT Martin… recorded an RBI base hit against Blackburn College… scored a run as a pinch runner at Indiana State.

HIGH SCHOOL: Schweigert was a two-year letter-winner for coaches Kevin Arthur and Craig Bundy… also lettered twice in football… two-time First Team All-Southwest Suburban Conference and Kankakee County Daily Journal All-Area per- former as an upperclassman… two-time team captain in baseball and football… helped lead BBHS to a conference title in 2008… member of a 2002 Little League state championship team that went on to finish as the runner-up at the Little League World Series… also played for the Illinois Angels summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was hitting a leadoff home run against Bishop McNamara High School, the cross-town rival… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because "he taught me everything I know and was always the one to motivate me throughout the years, always supporting me"… most admires coach Arthur because "of the knowledge he has about the game of baseball"… son of Keith and Laurie Schweigert… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies.

Schweigert Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 .250 10-1 16 4 4 0 0 0 1 4 .250 0 0 2 1 .250 0 0 0-0 13 7 1 .952 2010 .208 15-3 24 1 5 1 0 0 0 6 .250 1 0 9 1 .240 0 0 0-0 5 12 1 .944 TOTAL .225 25-4 40 5 9 1 0 0 1 10 .250 1 0 11 2 .244 0 0 0-0 18 19 2 .949

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 51 Returning Players

2010: Strang started all 53 games at shortstop, one of only two Panthers to start every game in 2010… ranked #10 second among OVC starting shortstops with a .946 field- Cam Strang ing percentage… was also part of a team-high 34 double plays… led the team with a .390 batting average in OVC Infield play… hit safely in 24 of the final 26 games of the season, highlighted by a team-best and career-long 16-game hit- Senior ting streak… reached base safely in the final 26 games of 6-0 | 185 | R/R the year… also hit safely in 14 consecutive OVC games… batted .351 with runners in scoring position… with a run- Champaign, Ill./ ner on third and less than two outs, drove in the run on 11-of-15 opportunities… hit in five different spots in the Champaign Central lineup, but primarily fifth (22 of 53 starts)… did not commit an error during the seven-game homestand and commit- ted only four errors in the 16 home games… also played flawless defense at the OVC Tournament, handling all 23 of his chances cleanly and helping EIU turn five double plays… batted .407 with 10 RBIs in May… batted .375 at Coaches Stadium, hitting safely in the final 1 home games of the year… posted four-hit efforts in the nightcap of the South Florida doubleheader and the series opener at Jacksonville State… had three hits in wins against Chicago State and JSU… hit safely in all three games of the Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin and Southeast Missouri series… drove in a run in four straight games late in the year… scored from first base on Ryan Dineen’s bases-loaded single in the first inning of the Illinois game in Mattoon… in the extra-inning loss to South- ern Illinois, led off the bottom of the ninth with a base hit and scored the game-tying run… knocked in a run in each of his first three plate appearances of the series-opening win against UT Martin; went on to finish that series 5-for-10 with two doubles and five RBIs… singled home the game-tying run in the ninth inning of the series opener at Jacksonville State… went 4-for-8 with two RBIs in the doubleheader sweep of Southeast Missouri that locked up an OVC Tournament berth.

2009: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Strang played in 22 games and started five times, all at shortstop… also saw a lot of action as a defensive replacement late in games… committed only error in 40 defensive chances and helped EIU turn six double plays… walked more than he struck out in his 40 plate appearances… will carry a seven- game hitting streak into the 2010 season… was 2-for-2 with the bases loaded and 6-for- 12 with runners in scoring position… registered a career-high five hits in the home victory against Chicago State… went 10-for-16 with seven runs scored at home… collected five RBIs in only 12 at-bats in neutral-site games… went 6-for-9 and also walked twice during the 13-game win streak… hit his first homer at EIU and scored three times in the victory against Blackburn College… delivered a two-run single in the ninth inning of the OVC Tournament loss to Jacksonville State… registered a two-run double against Milwau- kee… knocked in an insurance run with an eighth-inning single in the victory against Indi- ana… singled and scored to open the four-run eighth inning against Missouri.

2008: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Strang played in 37 games and started 27 times, primarily at shortstop… collected four of his seven RBIs in OVC play… collected nine of his 22 hits and five of his seven RBIs with two outs… walked more than he struck out at home… committed just one error in 50 defensive chances in true road games… was part of three of the EIU record five double plays the Panthers turned in the finale of the UT Martin series… put EIU ahead to stay with a two-out, two-run single in the opener of the UTM series… registered a pair of hits, scored a run and collected an RBI during the seven-run third inning in the rubber-game win at Murray State.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a three-year letter-winner for coach John Staab… also lettered four times in golf and twice in basektball... CCHS Male Athlete of the Year as a senior… as an upperclassman was a two-time All-Big 12 Conference and Champaign News-Gazette All-Area selection… helped lead CCHS to consecutive Big 12 Conference titles in baseball and a 2006 conference crown in basketball… earned a scholar-athlete award and academic letter… also played for the American Legion Post 24 team in the summer.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight winning the 2008 OVC Tournament title… his parents have been a major influence on his sports career because "they have sacraficed a lot of their time for me and taught me how to compete"… most admires Tiger Woods for "the way he carries himself and his love of competition"… his father played baseball at Ole Miss... son of David and Nancy Strang… MAJOR: Undecided.

Strang Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2008 .229 37-27 96 12 22 2 1 0 7 26 .271 9 0 22 1 .292 1 5 2-2 51 59 6 .948 2009 .452 22-5 31 12 14 3 0 1 9 20 .645 7 0 4 0 .538 1 1 1-2 12 27 1 .975 2010 .316 53-53 196 27 62 7 0 0 23 69 .352 19 1 38 5 .376 2 4 5-6 81 146 13 .946 TOTAL .303 112-85 323 51 98 12 1 1 39 115 .356 35 1 64 6 .369 4 10 8-10 144 232 20 .949

52 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Thoma played in 52 of the 53 games, all but the Illinois game in Mattoon, #24 and started 51 times… started 43 times in left field, six Ben Thoma times at designated hitter and twice at catcher… shared the team lead with 13 doubles… batted .346 with run- Outfield ners in scoring position thanks to a team-high 28 hits… recorded 19 of his 39 RBIs with two outs in an inning, also R-Junior sharing the team lead… led the way with a .346 average 6-2 | 200 | R/R (9-for-26) and nine RBIs on the spring break trip… batted .339 with 10 RBIs in April… registered 10 of his 13 doubles Columbia, Ill./ in true road games… batted a team-best .467 (14-for-30) with 10 RBIs in neutral-site action… went 5-for-12 in the Columbia OVC Tournament, hitting safely in all three games includ- ing a three-hit, four-RBI effort in the tourney win versus Southeast Missouri… posted an eight-game hit streak in late April and also hit safely in the final five games of the year… homered twice, posting his first collegiate multi-homer game, and recorded a career-high five RBIs in the spring break trip game againstArmy… hit safely in all three games of the Southeastern Louisiana, UAB, South Florida, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech series… posted his first career four-hit effort against Missouri… doubled in both ends of the doubleheader sweep at Murray State, going 2-for-2 in game one after coming off the bench for the first time in the season… doubled and homered, scoring twice, in the opener of the UT Martin series… delivered a two-out, two-run single to put EIU ahead to stay in the nightcap of the Austin Peay double- header… had two singles and scored twice in EIU’s 10-run fifth inning against Morehead State… knocked in the game-ty- ing run in the ninth inning against Southern Illinois with a … had a pair of two-run hits, including the game-tying single in the seventh inning, of the OVC Tournament win against Southeast Missouri.

2009: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Thoma played in 31 games and started 24 times, 20 at catcher and four as the designated hitter… started nine straight games behind the plate from April 25 to May 15… homered in his first at-bat of the season and went on to hit all eight of his long balls in EIU wins… went deep once every 12.6 at-bats, the second-best ratio on the team among regulars… hit four of his eight homers in OVC play… threw out a team-best eight (35 percent) would-be basesteal- ers… collected nine of 23 RBIs with two outs… batted .292 and record eight (3 2Bs, 5 HRs) of his 12 extra-base hits in true road games… went 8-for-23 with two homers and seven RBIs in the month of March… was 9-for-19 with four homers during the 13-game win streak… went deep twice in the home win against Indiana State… homered and registered a his career four-RBI game at UT Martin… hit the first of EIU’s three eighth-inning homers in game one of the doubleheader sweep at Southeast Missouri… reached base safely in four of his five plate appearances in the series-opening win against Eastern Ken- tucky… connected for a pinch-hit three-run homer in the series-opening win at Morehead State.

2008: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Thoma played in 10 games, starting nine times, before a back injury ended his season… granted a medical red- shirt… started five times at catcher and four times as the designated hitter… delivered a two-out, two-run double in his first collegiate game… led off the ninth inning of a one-run game at Northwestern State with a pinch-hit single… went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the series finale at NSU… started each of the first five games of the spring break trip… recorded a three-hit game in the first of the two wins against Bucknell in Florida.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a four-year letter-winner for coach Dustin Nail… also lettered twice in basketball and once in football… named the 2007 IHSA Class A Player of the Year by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association… helped lead Columbia to the 2007 IHSA Class A state title in baseball… Metro-East Baseball Coaches Association Illinois Player of the Year as a senior… Illinois Prep Baseball Report All-State selection and Top 50 prospect… two-time St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Belleville News-Democrat All-Area honoree… All- and team captain as a senior… also played for the Waterloo American Legion team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was winning the state baseball championship as a senior… his father has been a ma- jor influence on his sports career because "he has always supported me through everything and has been with me every step of the way"… most admires coach Nail for "leading us to the state championship two years in a row and helping us win the title as seniors"… son of Tom and Vicki Thoma… MAJOR: Psychology. Thoma Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2008 .276 10-9 29 4 8 2 0 0 3 10 .345 1 1 5 1 .323 0 2 0-0 28 4 1 .970 2009 .277 31-24 101 19 28 4 0 8 23 56 .554 4 2 20 1 .318 0 2 0-0 129 13 2 .986 2010 .292 52-51 195 29 57 13 0 5 39 85 .436 11 2 32 6 .332 3 0 0-1 66 4 3 .959 TOTAL .286 93-84 325 52 93 19 0 13 65 151 .465 16 5 57 8 .327 3 4 0-1 223 21 6 .976

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 53 Returning Players

2010: Wallsten played in 49 games and started 47 times behind the plate… started the final 36 games of the sea- #34 son, including all 23 OVC games… led the OVC with 12 Gerik Wallsten sacrifice bunts, ranking among the Top 30 nationally… was Catcher a team-best 4-for-8 with the bases loaded… batted .302 with runners in scoring position… with a runner on third Junior and less than two outs, drove in that run on seven of nine opportunities… recorded nine of his 24 RBIs with two outs 5-11 | 195 | R/R in an inning… was 8-for-19 during the seven-game home- Ingleside, Ill./Grant stand, hitting a pair of home runs in the homestand finale and helping EIU win its series with Morehead State… hit a solo homer in back-to-back at-bats against Morehead to post his first collegiate multi-homer game and the only such effort by a Panther at home in 2010… batted .327 with five sacrifice bunts in April… batted .333 with five sacrifice bunts in midweek action… recorded 18 of his 24 RBIs in true road games… delivered a three-run double and finished with a career-high four RBIs in the finale of the Belmont series… hit a two-run homer in game one of the doubleheader sweep at South Florida… posted four three-hit games, two coming in OVC play… singled home the game-tying run as part of a three-hit effort in the Illinois game in Mattoon… went 5-for-13 with five RBIs in the Jacksonville State series, driving in three runs in the opener and two more in the finale… reached base safely three times and also executed a in the OVC Tournament win against Southeast Missouri… National Rankings: 28th in sacrifice bunts per game and 37th in sacrifice bunts… OVC Top 10 Rankings: first in sacrifice bunts.

2009: Wallsten played in 28 games and started 24 times behind the plate… had started 22 times in a 26-game stretch when he suffered a wrist injury in early April that sidelined him for a month… Eastern was 21-3 in the games he started… ranked second on the team with 11 sacrifice bunts, recording five in a four-game stretch on the spring break trip… hit three of his four homers and walked more than he struck out in conference play… batted .300 (9-for-30) with runners in scoring position and registered 11 of his 19 RBIs with two outs… with a runner on third and less than two outs, he recorded an RBI in five of his six opportunities… was 7-for-19 with 10 RBIs at home, three of the seven hits being homers… batted .300 with three homers and 12 RBIs in the month of March… batted .333 with four homers and 13 RBIs during the 13-game win streak… hit safely in five straight games beginning one game after he made his EIU debut… registered three RBIs in wins against Milwaukee, Morehead State and Murray State… also homered and scored three times in the series-opening win at Morehead… homered in each of the first two home games of the season… delivered a game-tying single and a two-run homer in game one of the Murray State doubleheader… walked three times and scored twice in the regular-season finale at Eastern Kentucky, his first start since April 10… also started the OVC Tournament loss against Murray State… Top 100 National Rankings: 42nd in sacrifice bunts.

HIGH SCHOOL: Wallsten was a three-year varsity letter-winner for coach Mike Mizwicki… also lettered in basketball… two-time All-North Suburban Conference, Daily Herald All-Area and All-Lake County honoree… 2008 team MVP… ranks third in school history with 13 career home runs… two-time academic all-con- ference… National Honor Society… T.E.A.M Leadership and RYLA Youth Leadership Conference attendee… also played for the Kenosha Indians summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was hitting a home run in his first and final high school at-bats… his parents have been a major influence on his sports career because "they both drive me to keep doing what I want to do, and have sup- ported me through every choice and decision I have ever made"… most admires his former athletic trainer Jim Cooney because "without him the last three years I would not know half the stuff I do about baseball prior to coming to EIU"… son of Gary and Cindy Wallsten… MAJOR: Biological Sciences.

Wallsten Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 .264 28-24 72 14 19 4 0 4 19 35 .486 7 2 17 5 .341 1 11 0-0 184 8 2 .990 2010 .255 49-47 153 15 39 4 0 3 24 52 .340 5 2 35 3 .286 1 12 0-0 327 24 4 .989 TOTAL .258 77-71 225 29 58 8 0 7 43 87 .387 12 4 52 8 .305 2 23 0-0 511 32 6 .989

54 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Returning Players

2010: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Wilson did not #16 see action due to an arm injury and received a medical redshirt. Josh Wilson Pitcher 2009: OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll... Wilson pitched in R-Senior five games… also pinch hit in the rubber game win at UT Martin and pinch ran, stealing a base, in the rubber game 6-1 | 200 | R/R loss to Jacksonville State… was limited by arm injury for Charleston, Ill./Lake much of the season, but was effective in his limited out- ings… did not give up a run until his fifth and final outing of Land the year… worked 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief in the win at South Florida… retired all six hitters he faced, striking out a pair, in the win at Southern Illinois… also pitched against Indiana State and Blackburn College.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Wilson was an All-Great Rivers Conference honoree after batting .444 in 2007 at Lake College in Mattoon, Ill.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was a three-year letter-winner for coach Derrick Landrus, an EIU alum and former Panther basketball player… also lettered twice in soccer… led the team in wins (7), saves (5) and runs scored (35) as a senior… helped lead CHS to a regional championship title in 2005… Peoria Mid-State Classic and Red and Gold All-Tournament Team honoree in soccer… National Honor Society… also played for the Effingham Evolution E.I. summer team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was scoring the game-winning run in the regional championship game his junior year of high school… his parents have been a major influence on his sports career because "without them taking me to and from practice and games, I would not be where I am today. They also encourage me to always do my best at anything and everything"… most admires his eighth grade basketball coach Randy Harpster because "of his ability to make an aver- age team and turn them into a good or even great team"… his brother Kyle played baseball at EIU last year and was a member of the 2008 OVC Tournament championship team… son of Don and Bonnie Wilson… MAJOR: Kinesiology and Sports Studies (with a Teacher’s Certification).

Wilson Career Pitching Statistics Year era w-l app gs cg sho sv ip h r er bb so 2b 3b hr bf bavg wp hbp bk sfa sha 2009 1.23 0-0 5 0 0 0/0 0 7.1 4 1 1 2 6 1 0 0 27 .174 2 2 0 0 0 TOTAL 1.23 0-0 5 0 0 0/0 0 7.1 4 1 1 2 6 1 0 0 27 .174 2 2 0 0 0

Wilson Career Batting Statistics Year avg gp-gs ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po a e fld% 2009 .000 2-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 1-1 2 0 0 1.000 TOTAL .000 2-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 1-1 2 0 0 1.000

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 55 Newcomers

HIGH SCHOOL: Participated in football, base- #8 ball, soccer and golf at Parkway Central (Ches- terfield) High School… was a two-time letter- Cameron Berra winner in football and three-time letterwinner Outfield in baseball… selected to All-Suburban South Freshman Conference First Team in baseball (2009-10), football (2008-09) and soccer (2009)… batted a 5-10 | 205 | R/R team-best .488 with 16 doubles and 36 RBIs dur- St. Louis, Mo./ ing his junior season… also hit .438 as a sopho- more… was a member of the National Honor Parkway Central Society and LEAD (Leadership of Educational and Athletic Discipline)… high school coach was Ryan Connors.

PERSONAL: Son of Dan and Joyce Berra… born on Oct. 1, 1991… is also a member of the Panther football team, handling the kicking responsibilities… mother was a swimmer at the University of Tulsa and his brother Ryan played golf at the University of Dayton… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he taught me how to play baseball”… most admires high school coach Ryan Conners because “he teaches his teams to play the game the right way and how to compete”. MAJOR: Kinesiology.

HIGH SCHOOL: Helped Teutopolis High School #6 win the 2010 Illinois State 2A Championship… selected to the all-Illinois 2A First-Team during Luke Bushur senior season… guided high school team to Pitcher back-to-back National Trail Conference Titles in Freshman 2008 and 2009… posted a 3.79 ERA with a 5-2 record and 67 strikeouts during junior season… 6-0 | 185 | R/R recorded a 1.77 ERA and 43 strikeouts during Teutopolis, Ill./ sophomore campaign… was a member of the Teutopolis National Honor Society. PERSONAL: Son of John Michele Bushur… born Feb. 11, 1992… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he taught me the game and played catch with everyday as a kid”… most admires high school coaches Justin Fleener and Andrew Fehrenbacher because “they were able to get the best out of me”. MAJOR: Biology.

56 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Newcomers

AT Lincoln Trail C.C.: Was an All-Region and #32 All-Northern District performer… posted a 9-1 re- cord with a 2.43 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 63 in- Adam Clark nings pitched… joins Shawn Ferguson and Brent Pitcher McNeil as current Panthers that transferred to Junior EIU from Lincoln Trail. 6-2 | 225 | L/L HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Norwood High Norwood, Ohio/ School under Mike Mayfield… was named the Fort Ancient Valley Conference Player of the Lincoln Trail Year during senior season… earned All-FAVC First-Team honors from 2006-08… was named team captain in 2007 and 2008.

PERSONAL: Son of Doug and Vicki Clark… born March 16, 1989… his father has been a major influ- ence on his sports career because “he has always pushed me in everything I do”. MAJOR: Sports Management.

HIGH SCHOOL: Was his team’s captain as a se- #28 nior… named to the Illinois High School Coaches Association all-state team in 2010… won nine Joe Greenfield games in 58 innings of work with a 1.57 ERA as Pitcher a senior… struck out 65 batters and held his op- Freshman ponents to a .155 batting average in 2010 while guiding his team to its ninth consecutive regional 6-4 | 215 | R/R title… played for Doug Sotol. Orland Park, Ill./ PERSONAL: Born on Dec. 3, 1991. Sandburg MAJOR: Special Education.

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 57 Newcomers

HIGH SCHOOL: Participated in baseball and #9 football at Lake Park High School, earning two letters in baseball and three in football… named Matt Kaiser to the All- Team and Infield the all-state honorable mention team in baseball Freshman during senior season… scored 17 runs, drove in 19 runs and batted .300 during his junior 6-1 | 230 | R/R campaign… was a member of the honor roll… Roselle, Ill./Lake Park coached by Dan Colucci. PERSONAL: Son of Ken and Dawn Kaiser… born on March 16, 1992… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he has always been there for me through the tough times”…. most admires high school coach Dan Colucci because “he gave me a second chance to play baseball”. MAJOR: Sports Management.

AT PARKLAND C.C.: Was a NJCAA First Team #27 All-American selection in 2010… helped Park- land to a 50-13 record in 2010… batted .413 with T.J. McManus a team-high 90 hits… scored 68 runs, collected Infield a team-high 85 RBIs and 27 doubles… also had R-Junior 15 home runs and stole four bases. 6-1 | 220 | L/R AT OHIO STATE: Played in nine games for the Glenview, Ill./Parkland 2009 Buckeyes that advanced to the NCAA Regionals and finished the year 42-19… bat- College ted .313 and scored three runs… Redshirted in 2008.

HIGH SCHOOL: Was a two-time Chicago Suburban League Player of the Year at Glenbrook South High School… named to Illinois High School Coaches Association all-state team his senior season ... finished senior season with a .400 average, 13 doubles, and seven home runs… set school record for home runs and RBIs during senior season… set high school’s single-season record for batting aver- age, doubles and hits as a junior.

PERSONAL: Son of Jim and Judy McManus… born on July 10, 1989… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he taught me how to play baseball”. MAJOR: Sports Man- agement.

58 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com Newcomers

HIGH SCHOOL: Helped Chatham Glenwood #37 High School capture the 2010 Illinois 3A State Title, finishing the year with a 32-4 record… Jacob Reese was 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI in the title Catcher game… guided his team to a 32-6 record in 2009 Freshman and a state runner-up finish… batted .458 in the 2009 IHSA playoffs… led the Central State Eight 5-10 | 190 | R/R Conference with 47 RBIs as a junior while bat- Rochester, Ill./ ting .371… collected five home runs and 15 dou- bles while 20 of his 46 hits went for extra bases Chatham-Glenwood as a junior… batted .458 in the IHSA playoffs as Glenwood lost in the championship game of the 3A state finals… Under Armour Preseason All-American for 2010… two-time all-academic performer at Glenwood… coached by Pat Moomey.

PERSONAL: Son of Tony and Anna Marie Reese… born Oct. 21, 1991… brother Michael Reese plays baseball at Truman State… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he has helped me with my baseball career”… most admires his brother Michael because “he has battled through injuries during his career and gives 110 percent”. MAJOR: Business.

HIGH SCHOOL: Batted .447 with 20 extra- #2 base hits and 24 stolen bases as a senior at Libertyville High School… scored 45 runs and Tyler Schweigert struck out only 12 times in 123 at-bats in 2010.... Infield named to the North Suburban Conference All- Freshman Conference Team and the Herald All-Area Team in 2009 and 2010… selected to the all-state 6-0 | 170 | R/R honorable mention team as a senior… set the Round Lake, Ill./ school record for single-season hits in 2010… compiled a .469 on-base percentage and re- Libertyville corded 41 hits during his junior season... played for Jim Schurr… was a high school teammate of current Panther Troy Barton.

PERSONAL: Son of Roger and Diana Schweigert… born Nov. 12, 1991… his father has been a ma- jor influence on his sports career because “he taught me how to play the game well and correctly”… most admires Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade because “his work ethic and his charitable contribu- tions” MAJOR: Applied Engineering of Technology.

OVC Regular-Season Titles: '98, '99, '01, '09 • OVC Tournament Titles: '99, '08 59 Newcomers

HIGH SCHOOL: Posted a 3-1 record with a 3.29 #29 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of work in 2009… suffered an arm injury during sophomore Christian Slazinik season and eventually had Tommy John sur- Pitcher gery… was selected as the most valuable pitcher Freshman on the 2007 St. John Vianney team, compiling a 2.14 ERA and only surrendering 21 hits in 36 in- 6-0 | 185 | S/L nings pitched… played for Steve Bieser. St. Louis, Mo./ PERSONAL: Son of Dave and Kathy Slazinik… St. John Vianney born May 21, 1992… his family has been a major influence on his sports career because “they have always been there for me”… most admires Francisco Liriano because “he came back from Tommy John surgery and was named MLB’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 with the Minnesota Twins”. MAJOR: Undecided.

AT PARKLAND C.C.: Posted a 2.08 ERA and #11 9-1 record in 2010 in addition to throwing 66 strikeouts… helped Parkland win the 2009 NJ- Darin Worman CAA Division II World Series… finished the 2009 Pitcher with a 5-1 record and 3.74 ERA… struck out Junior 34 batters and walked only 14 in 45 2/3 innings pitched. 6-4 | 175 | R/L Dietrich, Ill./Parkland HIGH SCHOOL: Was 7-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his senior season at Dieterich High School… threw College 75 strikeouts and only eight walks in 51 innings pitched… earned All-Midland Trail Conference and all-area honors during his senior season.

PERSONAL: Son of Gary (deceased) and Dot Worman… born on Dec. 5, 1989… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “was always there for me when I was younger”. MA- JOR: Sports Management.

60 2011 Panther Baseball www.eiupanthers.com